World Briefs

WORLD BRIEFS

November 28, 2011

TENNIS

Federer wins 6th ATP title

Roger Federer wasn't about to let Jo-Wilfried Tsonga pull off another improbable comeback.

After a year that saw some uncharacteristic slip-ups from Federer in big matches, the Swiss star shrugged off a second-set letdown to beat Tsonga 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 for a record sixth title in the ATP World Tour Finals in London.

"I know it's one of my greatest accomplishments," Federer said. "This definitely is an amazing finish again to the season. I've never finished so strong."

Federer was by far the most impressive player this whole week at the season-ending event for the top eight players in the world, where his three group-stage victories included his most comprehensive win ever over Rafael Nadal, beating the Spaniard 6-3, 6-0 on Tuesday.

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But he looked in danger of faltering against Tsonga when he failed to serve out the match at 5-4 in the second set and then wasted a match point in the tiebreaker.

Playing in his 100th career final, Federer broke for a 5-3 lead in the decider and served out the match to love, sealing his 70th career title with an easy volley.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Illinois fires Zook

Seven years of tantalizing potential that often led to frustrating results at Illinois ended Sunday when the school fired coach Ron Zook following his team's historic late-season collapse.

Illinois started the season 6-0 but finished with a six-game losing streak, finishing with a 27-7 defeat at Minnesota on Saturday.

According to STATS, LLC, the Illini are the first FBS team to open the regular-season with six straight wins, and close it with six losses in a row.

Zook had five losing seasons in Illinois -- finishing with a 34-51 record.

With two years left on his contract, Zook will receive a $2.6 million buyout.

[square]ºTurner Gill arrived at Kansas after taking a perennially downtrodden program at Buffalo to unimaginable heights. He's leaving after a two-year stretch in which the Jayhawks slipped back to their familiar place in the Big 12 cellar.

Gill was fired Sunday after a meeting with Athletic Director Sheahon Zenger, one day after the Jayhawks lost 24-10 to rival Missouri and finished his second season 2-10.

Gill was hired by Zenger's predecessor, Lew Perkins, and given a five-year, $10 million contract that was befitting of a high-profile coach. But he never lived up to the expectations that came with it, losing the first game he coached at Kansas to lower-division North Dakota State.

[square]ºDennis Erickson is out as Arizona State coach, a university official told The Associated Press, after another season in which the results didn't meet the expectations for the Sun Devils.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity on Sunday because details of Erickson's departure have not been finalized.

He was 31-30 in five seasons in the desert.

BASKETBALL

Syracuse fires Fine

Syracuse University associate head basketball coach Bernie Fine was fired Sunday in the wake of an investigation of child molestation allegations against him.

In a statement released Sunday night, Kevin Quinn, the school's senior vice president for public affairs, says Fine has been "terminated, effective immediately.

The move came at the direction of Chancellor Nancy Cantor.

The 65-year-old Fine was in his 36th season at his alma mater. He had the longest active streak of consecutive seasons at one school among assistant coaches in Division I.

Fine's firing comes in the wake of new revelations Sunday, including a third accuser.